Breast prosthesis



United States Patent 3,498,297 BREAST PROSTHESIS Patricia I. Lord, 300Mohawk Road E., Apt. 96, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Filed Mar. 12, 1968,Ser. No. 712,499 Int. Cl. A41c 3/10; A61f 1/00 U.S. Cl. 128-478 3 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brassiere for use during a post mastectomyconvalescent period, which includes a comparatively widetorso-encircling band of an inelastic fabric at least 7 inches in widthand formed With one or more pleats or folds therein. Relatively wideshoulder straps are provided and arranged so as to be capable ofselective adjustment as to their length. Carried by the band is aconventional cup for reception of the healthy remaining breast and alsoa cup which is arranged to have a pad removably positioned therewithinat the location of the removed breast.

The present invention relates to a brassiere that is intended to be wornby a woman after a mastectomy has been performed, and is concernedprimarily with the provision of a garment which may be worn by a patientimmediately after the operation and during the entire post operativeconvalescent period with a high degree of comfort and. definiteassurance that she presents a normal attractive appearance.

A breast removal operation is attended by two basic factors which enterinto the patients recovery. The first is physical and the second isphyschological. The two are closely interrelated and the situation maybe summarized by noting that, if the patient is comfortable, has apositive confidence that she presents a normal appearance, bandages anddressings are properly accommodated and provision made for causing socalled minor muscles to perform the function of primary muscles whichhave been stripped by the operation, her recovery is hastened and theconvalescent period hastened, rehabilitation to a more normal appearanceis more ensured because of more positive initial steps to this goal.

By far the larger number of mastectomies are radical operations in whicha breast is completely removed and the primary muscles which hadsupported the breast are stripped to the shoulder. This leaves a widearea which is extremely tender and must be initially covered bydressings and bandages which are held in position by a binder. Anybrassiere which covers these elements must do so without applying anylocalized pressure. Otherwise pressure aggravates healing, promotesinfection and breakdown of incision which causes great pain to thepatient. Moreover, this same degree of comfort which is achieved by theaccuracy of the fit must be maintained throughout the entireconvalescent period.

Besides the development of the secondary muscles which prior to theoperation, had been comparatively inactive in assuming the role ofmaintenance of posture, difficulties incurred by surgery are also ofimportance. If they are not exercised they will atrophy and not becapable of supporting the adjacent shoulder in the manner necessary toattain the normal appearance. This inability of the muscles to properlysupport the shoulder immediately subsequent to the operation isemphasized by the patients normal tendency to hunch forwardly knowingher breast has been removed. To develop the muscles weight is added tothe brassiere Where the breast is missing and the garment must becapable of aiding the muscles in accommodating this added weight.

During the immediate post operative period it is necice essary for thebrassiere cup to contain prosthetic pads which have absorbentproperties, and are replaced from time to time by fresh pads. It is tobe remembered that if the recovery is to be speedy and successful itmust be attended by a high degree of comfort and a peace of mind whichcan come only from the knowledge that the patient presents a normalappearance.

All of the conditions above outlined are accommodated by the brassiereof this invention and the desired ends attained by the structure of thebrassiere which permits it to be adjusted by the patient herself toachieve an accurate comfortable fit any time during the convalescentperiod.

The instant brassiere is visualized as including, as an essentialelement, a comparatively wide torso encircling band of a non elasticfabric, being at least seven inches wide, which is susceptible ofbearing one or more pleats or folds formed therein, together withrelatively wide shoulder straps also of non elastic fabric which havetheir front ends permanently anchored to front portions of the band andbeing sufficient length to permit connections to the back of the band onstitching which may be removed so that the effective length of theshoulder straps may be adjusted as occasion demands.

The band aforesaid terminates in front portions the end edges of whichare joined by conventional detachable connecting means such as hooks andeyes. One front portion carries-a cup which receives the healthyremaining breast. The other portion carries a cup that is mountedthereon in a partially detachable manner so that a pad may be removablypositioned therein.

The properties and advantages of this subject brassiere may besummarized by noting that it is of a washable, non elastic fabric; isadjustable as to girth and shoulder strap length by the patient withoutincluding buckles, clasps of similar metallic devices; is sufficientlywide at all critical areas to localize pressure there; includes aweighted, prosthetic pad having absorbent properties for pressure orpossible discharge from the wound that restores a normal appearance tothe patient; and may be born with a high degree of comfort during theconvalescent period.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention,such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in apractical embodiment, will in part become apparent, and in part behereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention referencemay be had to the following description and accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a brassiere designed in accordance with theprecepts of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a detailed perspective on an enlarged scale of a portion ofthe meeting ends of the band.

FIGURE 3 is another detailed perspective of that pattern of thebrassiere which houses the removable prosthetic pad.

FIGURE 4-is a detailed perspective of the pad per se with parts brokenaway.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective of the garment looking from the rear prior toany adjustment thereof and FIGURE 6 is another perspective depicting howthe adjustments are effected.

The convalescent brassiere of this invention includes as an essentialelement a torso including A and that is referred to in its entirety bythe reference character B. The band B is made of a washable, non elasticand non stretchable woven fabric and, for the purpose of this inventionmay be considered as comprising front portions 10 and 11, side parts 12and 13 and a back 14. It will be understood that these parts are allintegrally pieced in a one piece band that has a minimum width of seveninches. In most cases where the patient is more obese it is wider.

The front portion terminates in an end edge While the front portion 11has an end edge 16. When the garment is worn the ends of the frontportions 10 and 11 are fastened together. This may be accomplished by aconventional fastening device such as the hook and eye arrangementdepicted. Thus the front portion 10 carries on its outer exposed faceadjacent to the edge 15 a plurality of eyes 17 while the front portion11 is provided on its inner face with a corresponding number of hooks18.

While in some instances a mastectomy may involve the removal of bothbreasts the greater number of each operations remove only a singlebreast. Hence, the instant brassiere is described as being so designedand purely by way of example, to accommodate the removal of a leftbreast.

The front portion 11 is cut away as shown at 19 and mounted over theopening formed thereby is a cup 20. The latter receives the healthyremaining breast and is of a semiforced padded construction as is Wellknown in this field. It may be semiforced by a supporting bottom strap21.

A partially removable cup 22 is shown as mounted on the front portion10. The lower part of the cup 22 is securely held in position by abottom strap 23. Substantially the lower half of the cup 22 ispermanently secured to the front portion 10 by sewing along the lines 24and 25. This leaves the upper half of the cup 22 free of the bandportion 10. It may be detachably secured thereto by the complimentalelements of sway postures, one set of which is shown at 26 and 27. Thecup 22, like the cup is reinforced and padded in a conventional manner.

A prosthetic pad is identified at P. It is removably positioned in thecup 22 and held therein when the postures 26-27 are closed. The pad Pcomprises a cone shaped body 28 of foam rubber presenting an innerrecess 29 the lower portion of which receives added weight in the formof birdseed 30. A fabric casing 31 encloses the body and weight andholds the latter within the recess 29.

A shoulder strap 32 has one end permanently anchored to the frontportion 11 as indicated at 33. Likewise, a second shoulder strap 34 hasone end anchored to the front portion 10 as shown at 35. Prior tofitting to a particular patient the other ends of the shoulder strap 32and 34 are free of the band as depicted in FIGURE 5. After fitting theyare secured to the back 14 by removable stitching shown at 36 and 37 inFIGURE 6.

To achieve an accurate and comfortable fit of the band B about the torsoof a particular patient a pleat or fold such as shown at 38 is formed,this pleat is secured by removable stitching 39. Obviously the size ofthis pleat may be varied from time to time by first removing thestitching 39, making the adjustment, and then restitching.

While the manner of using the brassiere of this in vention during aperiod of convalescence is believed to be obvious from the illustrationof the drawing and description of parts given, it may be brieflyoutlined by noting that immediately subsequent to the operation the bandB and shoulder straps 32 and 34 are adjusted to accurately accommodateany dressing, bandages or binders which may have been applied to thepatient. This is achieved without generating any localized pressuresover the sore and tender area. Just enough pressure is created to holdthe garment in position and there are no buckles, clasps or similarmetallic devices which might bite" into the patient under pressure andcause discomfort. Moreover, the pressure is applied in areas remote fromthe incision.

There may be some drawing from the operation incision but this is takencare of by the absorbent properties of the pad P and the fact that theband B is washable. It is also evident that the fasteners 17-18 beinglocated at the front, are readily accessible to the wearer. Thus, shemay at any time remove the brassiere and alter either the pleat 38 orthe length of the shoulder strap.

The fact that the pad P carries added weight in the form of birdseed 30complete with the adquate support for the muscles remaining after theoperation provided by the wide comfortably fitted band B, enables thepatient to assume a normal posture, without hunching, and with thepositive assurance she presents an attractive appearance. At the sametime the muscles begin to react automatically because of the weight andultimately acquire the strength necessary to support the shoulder.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbeforeset forth it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to belimited to the exact constructions illustrated and described becausevarious modifications of these details may be provided in putting theinvention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

The empodiments of the invention in which an eX- clusi've property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. For use in a past mastectomy convalescent period, a brassierecomprising: a torso encircling band at least seven inches in width andof a non elastic, non stretchable, woven fabric and including front endportions, side portions, and a back all integrally formed as a one pieceunit; a breast cup having a lower part permanently secured to the outersurface of one of said front portions; means for detachably securing theupper half of said cup to said front portion; a prosthetic cup removablypositioned in said breast cup and including added weight; a device fordetachably securing said front portions together at their end edges; apair of shoulder straps of nonelastic, nonstretchable woven fabric, eachof said shoulder straps having one end permanently anchored to one ofsaid front portions at the upper edge thereof and having a free endportion secured to said back by removable stitching; and a pleat formedin said back and held therein by removable stitching whereby said bandand shoulder strap may be accurately and comfortably fitted to a patientwho may, from time to time, remove the brassiere from here person byopening said detachable device and make such adjustments in said pleatand shoulder strap length as may be necessary for comfort.

2. The convalescent brassiere of claim 1 in which the band is washableand the prosthetic cup has absorbent properties.

3. The convalescent brassiere of claim 1 in which the remaining frontportion is cut-away to provide an opening and has mounted thereon oversaid opening, a breas cup for receiving a healthy breast.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,258,209 10/1941 De Jorio128-478 2,421,561 6/1947 Hunau 128478 2,698,941 1/1955 Melnyk 3--36 XADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 336

